HOLLYWOOD, SEPTEMBER 23, 2:30 AM…
"I will always love and care about you. But I've moved on. You need to move on, too."
Those words were said to him a week ago at Megan and Conner's wedding, and they wouldn't stop echoing in his mind ever since.
Garfield Logan lay in his Hollywood suite bed unable to sleep; too upset and angry to let him mind shut down, which was how he had been for the past several nights since the wedding.
Megan and Conner were off on a quick honeymoon, traveling the world and checking out exotic sights, and they stayed in contact with him, but all he could think about was Perdita, and how their relationship was truly dead, and it was all his fault for when he pushed her away.
"It didn't have to happen like this." He kept saying to himself. "We could've given it another chance."
He couldn't blame her for not wanting to rekindle things, but it didn't make things easier for him. All he kept hearing were those awful words.
"I will always love and care about you. But I've moved on. You need to move on, too."
"Move on! That's all I ever get told." he grumbled to himself, and that wasn't what hurt him most. "How can she love and care for me if she wants to move on?
Well… by now she's probably gotten the message."
VLATAVASTOK, 9:37 AM…
Queen Perdita was at her desk, busy as a bee going through reports, decisions, appointments, and other arrangements. Attending the wedding made her work back up high, and she couldn't ignore it anymore.
She stopped a moment to look at a framed picture on her desk, taken at the wedding a week ago, with all the members of the gang. Garfield stood next to Megan, while Perdita stood at a far corner of the group.
She couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, but she was strong and firm with her decision.
"I've moved on. You need to move on, too."
She couldn't ignore the look of disdain in his eyes, and all through the wedding party he didn't speak with her much or even go near her, obviously needing time for it to sink in.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Enter." she called. It was her butler coming in with a tray of tea and toast as she had ordered. "Set it down right here, please." She said while gesturing at the edge of her desk.
"Pardon my saying, majesty…" said the butler, "Do you still intend to journey to the Americas?"
"Of course." replied Perdita. "Conner and M'gann are due to return from their honeymoon next week, and I intend to be there to welcome them."
She suddenly stopped and froze on the spot, thinking of Garfield again. "I have not checked up on him since the wedding."
The butler could sense her emotional instability climbing, but seeing as it was none of his business, "I take my leave…" and he was gone, leaving the queen to ponder.
She still cared and worried for Garfield, but only as a friend. She decided to text him to see how he was holding up with his progress, and if he was okay with their ended relationship…
…But when she tried to send him a text on her cell phone… "What…?" she cried softly when it read "You Are Not Allowed to Text This User." And this could only happen because "…He has blocked me?!"
She quickly got up her emails on one of the computers at her desk and tried to send Garfield a message, only to find she was blocked there too. She tried to send a reply to messages she had already received and stored from him during their relationship, but it was no use.
Now becoming horrified and livid, she headed for the internet and visited all Garfield's social media pages.
"Blocked…?
Blocked…?
You are not allowed to message?"
Garfield had blocked her from everything, and worse, she also noticed all the pictures of them on dates or good times had been removed from the pages as well.
Now she was really starting to get upset- a mix of shock, anger, and betrayal, but then she also realized, "Oh, no…!" and her words from last week echoed again, "I've moved on. You need to move on, too."
This wasn't what she had in mind. She told him she still would love and care for him- as a friend. She was just over with their relationship, and she wanted him to be over it too; she didn't mean for him to shut her out entirely.
Perdita was about to place a long-distance call to Garfield's Hollywood suite, figuring she wasn't blocked from that, but she stopped quickly remembering the time difference between the two countries, and that it was nearly 3 in the morning there.
She wasn't beaten yet! Despite all the greater important work to be done, she called the airport.
"Yes, you heard me. I am flying to Hollywood immediately. There is something most urgent that came up."
"But your majesty, all your work and documents-"
"I will bring what I can with me and do it on the way and rearrange my schedules!"
Soon, her private leer was off.
HOLLYWOOD, 8:14 AM…
The sun shone brightly, and Garfield Logan stood at the wide windows bathing in the warmth, yet he was still frowning miserably.
He managed to get some sleep, but his mind was still aching.
Behind him stood a load of boxes marked for "Goodwill" They were all loaded but tapped shut so as not to reveal the contents.
He looked at them all sadly, knowing what was inside of them. "I have to do this." he said to himself.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. He expected it to be the movers to help him get the load from the penthouse to down in the lobby, but he peeked through the peephole, it was only Black Canary, come to check on him… again!
He rolled his eyes, but unlocked the door and let her in.
"Hey." he she said to him.
"S'up?" He said with a small smile, trying to seem in a better mood. "The Doc making her house calls again."
She laughed, "Well, good to see your sense of humor is doing fine."
He left her in the apartment, and she saw the boxes. "I guess you've been a little busy."
"Yeah, just… doing a little clean out. Ya know… things I don't need anymore. Just making some space."
Canary already could tell there was more, and he could feel her gaze piercing at him.
"How's your career coming? Are you getting back into acting?"
"Sure am. I've got an appointment this morning to get back into Space-Trek, or something else. The producers are going gaga for me to return.
As for the Outsiders, I'm still thinking about it. I'm not so sure I'm ready to go back yet."
"That's good." said Canary "You're making great progress, and at least your taking time to think." she paused, and then asked. "Any words from Conner and Megan?"
"A little "Hi" or a few pictures here and there. They sure are having fun on their honeymoon."
Then she had to ask him the big one, which they both were dreading, "…And Perdita?"
Gar felt his heart stop for a moment, and Canary saw the angry look on his face, which told her plenty. He wasn't taking the breakup too well, and it was easy to tell now…
…The boxes contained it all- everything that Perdita ever gave him, made him think of her, or was anything to do with her.
"Have you talked to her… at all?"
Gar shook his head. "…I don't plan on it." And he revealed that he already deleted all contacts and blocked her from reaching him. "She said it herself- she's moved on, and she said I should too." He paused, feeling a sting of pain course through him. "…More like she wants me to."
Canary gave him a soft and spiritless gaze. "…And you feel this is the right way to do it?"
"You need to ask that…?" he asked her. "And don't tell me I don't have to; I know I don't, but you said it yourself- There are some things we can control, and some things we can't.
Well, this is something I can control, and that I can decide."
She couldn't argue with him at all, but she felt obligated to ask, "What about when she finds out? You know she's bound to take it hard."
The pain, the guilt, and the shame grew harder and stronger inside him, but he managed to maintain his pride. "It's not my concern anymore. If she wants to move on, fine, but this is how I want to.
And if she tries to do anything about it, I'm ready for her- No violence, and no pills or drugs. I promise."
Canary was relieved to at least hear him say that, but she could already sense the worst yet to come, and not just for him and Perdita, but he made his choice.
Perdita's leer landed an hour later, and as her visit was unexpected, there were no crowds or newscasts to make any big fusses upon her arrival.
Instead, she hopped off the plane where a cab was waiting for her.
"Your majesty…" the drive said while bowing and graciously opening the back door for her.
She climbed in along with her two bodyguards, and as the cab set off for Gar's Hollywood home.
Perdita looked exhausted. It felt like a very long plane ride, even though it was just a few hours with the leer's top speed and good tailwinds.
She had done a lot of work on the ride over and rearranged her schedules, but the work was harder to process with her anxiety of Garfield coursing through her mind.
She tried calling his suite again, knowing he had to be awake, but all she kept getting was the answering machine.
"What up? This is Garfield Logan, but already knew that. Leave me a message, and I'll be sure to get back to you."
"Ugh!" She grumbled and didn't bother to leave a message- she had left several already. "He must be out." she deduced. "Or he is just not answering me…"
Her stomach was doing turns every second, making her feel a bit carsick with worry.
Finally, deep in town, several miles from the Hollywood building, she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Pull over, please!" she begged the driver.
The driver screeched on the brakes and pulled to the side off the road, much to the fright of passersby.
Perdita grabbed a big brown paper bag, and threw up a few chunks in it, making her eyes tear up, and her face go green.
"Your majesty!" said one of the guards, and he offered to pull her hair back.
"OW!" she groaned, and then she scolded "I am alright now!"
Unable to stand carrying the full bag of disgust, she existed the cab and disposed of it in a nearby garbage can.
Suddenly, she looked up, and noticed a large crowd of people huddled by the Goodwill Shop before her.
"I want that!"
"I saw it first."
"Garfield Logan's T-Shirt."
The sound of his name made her heart skip, and she could see people walking by with all kinds of merchandise and clothing she recognized too well.
"That is the shirt I gave him… And the big stuff dog I won for him at the World's Fair."
More and more items she recognized the people were wanting to buy, hence why they didn't even notice she was there, or they would have gone crazy to see Queen Perdita in the streets.
She felt her stomach starting to turn again, but she didn't feel like throwing up. She had to see Garfield, now, and she dashed back to the cab.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: 11:43 AM…
Later that day, you can bet Gar's meeting went well, and the producers were very happy to hear of his willingness to come back to the big screen.
"Space Trek 3016 is going to be greater than ever with these new re-writes, but the publicity alone that you're coming back, kid, is really going to do all of us great, especially you."
"Awesome." remarked Gar "When do we start?"
"It won't be for a few weeks. We still have to have more meetings to finalize the arrangements, but we'll keep in touch with you and let you know everything."
A smile came to Gar's face, and for a minute, he felt on top of the world, something he hadn't felt like in weeks.
He couldn't help but dance and strut as he left to catch his ride at the studio gates. "I'm back, baby. Gonna fly higher than before."
Suddenly, he saw someone else by the gates, Perdita, and right away, his anger began to return.
"You must let me in." Perdita demanded of the guard at the gate, but she was refused entry. "I'm sorry, but you do not have an appointment, and royalty or not, I can't allow you in here without the proper authority from someone."
Perdita was furious, but mainly due to the stress and anxiety she had been through. When she had Gar wasn't at home, and that he was here at the studios, she rushed all the way.
"Your ride, sir." a chauffeur said to Gar, which caught Perdita's attention, and she turned round and saw him. "Gar?"
He quickly turned away from her with a furious expression and headed down the steps to the limousine waiting for him.
"Wait…!" called Perdita as she began to rush for him. "Gar, please! I need to speak with you!" but he wouldn't stop or pay her any mind.
He stepped inside the car and sat down with his arms folded. "Drive!" he said to the driver, and the car moved off before Perdita could get any closer.
"Gar…! WAIT!" but the car was already gone, and Gar felt proud of what he did, at least most of him did.
As for Perdita, she felt tears coming to her eyes, and rage seething in her stomach. "He is avoiding me!" she said to herself.
Despite finally realizing the truth, she was not willing to let him off this easily- not without speaking to him.
She had a feeling she knew where he was going- to get some vegan chow. She remembered how hungry he always got by midday.
She ordered her cab driver to take a detoured shortcut, and she arrived at the Vegan Chinese place just in time to catch him emerging with a back of food for his lunch.
"Garfield!" she called.
He heard her, and he groaned angrily and prepared to leave, but her guards stood in his way. He was almost tempted to transform and whack them aside, but that wouldn't do his image good, nor his return to fame.
She approached him but spoke calmly. "I wish to speak with you."
Gar could tell she was aware of his actions, but feeling there was no other way to get rid of her, he agreed to talk with her. "Let's go somewhere private."
They met behind the alleys where there were no onlookers or people to hear them.
Perdita came straight to the point. "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to push me away again?"
Gar's eyes narrowed at her. "I think you know exactly why, your majesty."
"Please do not call me that!" she spat "I told you enough times, my friends need not be formal with me."
"I'm not doing the "Friends" thing."
She expected him to say that. "Garfield, I know it must hurt you, but it does not have to be this way. You know that I still love you and care for you like I said I did…"
Her words only further hurt him inside, but he did his best not to explode at her. Instead, he spoke deeply, but firmly. "You also said you moved on, and that I should too, and that's just what I'm doing.
You don't get to say you will always love me and care for me, and then tell me to move on; I don't do that, and I won't have it that way."
Now his every word was hurting her, like a burning knife slicing in her soul.
"Garfield, you were the one who broke my heart by casting me away."
As if he needed to be reminded of that. "I know, and I hate myself for it." he paused "But you're the one who said that you moved on, and that I need to as well."
"I did not mean like this. You don't have to shut me out entirely. I want to still care for you and be there for you, and…" she stopped when Gar held up his hand which told her to cease.
"…That's how you want it, but it's not how I want it. I'm not doing the "Just Friends" thing."
Perdita felt her heavy heart starting to hurt her inside as Gar continued. "Every time I think of you hurts me a lot, not just because we're through, but because I did this to myself.
It didn't have to be this way; we could have tried again, but you said "No" and that's what you're going to get."
He angrily pointed to the alley exit where her cab was waiting and declared, "I'm trying to move on, and you need to as well.
You are dismissed… Your Majesty!"
She stood there with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, just as she did when he dismissed her before.
Even her guards, though seemingly emotionless, felt sorry for her.
Perdita then left, crestfallen, for her cab, and motioned for her guards to come, leaving Gar to head back to his ride to head home.
Though Gar felt horrible for what he had just done, that was only a small part of him, the rest of him was pleased for telling her off and finally having some extra closure on the situation.
Perdita was so hurt, she couldn't even cry, but her tears just streaked down her face. One of the guards passed her a tissue box for her to dry up.
There was little she could do now, but head back home, let her emotions run their course, get back to work, and deal with all this stress another day.
When Gar got home, he was surprised to find Conner and Megan waiting for him, and they didn't look too pleased.
"What are you guys doing back?" he asked. "I thought you wouldn't be back for a week."
"Never mind that." said Conner.
"We need to talk." said Megan.
Gar didn't like the sound of this, and he didn't like it even more that the newlyweds were spying on him and saw and heard everything that happened between him and Perdita in the alley.
"I can't believe you guys did that." he scolded.
"I was worried about you." said Megan. "I knew you hadn't fully recovered, and I was especially worried when Perdita told me at the wedding that you guys were really through."
Gar sighed, "Figures."
"I couldn't have fun anymore, so we decided to come back earlier as a surprise."
Conner sighed, "At least we had some fun." but in actuality "I was a little worried too. Besides, I'm just not the honeymoon type."
His wife gave him a hard stare for that remark.
The couple were passing overhead enroute to the apartment, when they could see Gar and Perdita down below, and Conner's super hearing helped them to listen in on what was happening.
"How could you do that to her?" Conner asked.
"Look, I made my decision." insisted Gar "And this time, you can't hold is against me. No one can, not even Black Canary- she knows."
The newlyweds were disappointed in him.
"What? I'm not allowed to try and move on, try and get better anymore?" he mocked. "You people wanted me to get over things, and now you suddenly don't?"
Megan shook her head "It's not that. What we want is for things to work out for everyone, not for there to be more stress, more hurt feelings and more pushing away.
You had no right to hurt her like that."
Gar was really growing irritated. "…And I suppose you preferred I just continue to see her, as a friend, even though I don't want that, don't like it, and it causes me inner grief, and impairs my recovery?"
Megan's features changed to worrisome- realizing that was true as well.
Gar began to look remorseful too, but he had to stand for his own ground. "Megan, I get you want everyone to be happy, especially now that you and Con are tied." He referred to their wedding rings "…Megan, I can't change how I feel simply because you want me to, or Conner, or even Perdita.
You can't make me take things in stride or do what you feel is best for me…" he paused and looked deeply at the both of them, "…Or for yourselves."
That one really struck home with Megan.
Conner said nothing.
Gar then concluded saying, "I brought this on myself when I pushed Perdita away, and then she decided it was over, and I can't blame her for it.
But I really don't want to be just friends. That's my decision, and that's just sometimes how it is."
Megan felt defeated, disappointed, and very upset with Gar, more than she had ever been in her life.
"I think you should both go now." Gar suggested. "I really need some time alone."
Conner agreed. "Come on, honey." he said to his wife.
Megan didn't want to go, fearing Gar would regress into another abuse phase. "This isn't over. We'll talk again." She informed him before leaving with her husband, and Gar was alone, with his cold food, which he didn't feel like eating now.
On the way down, Megan scolded Conner, "Why didn't you say anything to him?"
Her husband shook his head, "What did you want me to say? This isn't like before when he was on pills. He made his decision, and it's done."
Megan practically yelled at him. "So that's it. We'll just leave him to self-destruct again, to go on more pills, and push everyone away, and-" she stopped when he held her hand to his mouth and kissed it silencing her.
"I get that you're worried. But this isn't our problem to sort out. Only he and Perdita can. Maybe they will work this out, and maybe they won't. All we can do is be there for them when they need us and if they need us.
If we try to force them to change, or move on, that'll only make it worse, and not just for them, but for us, and the rest of the team."
His wife shuddered in anger, fear, and sadness, and all she could say was, "I hate you when you're right like this."
Conner could only embrace her in comfort. "We'll just have to see what happens, and deal with this another day."
LESSONS:
-Just because people SHOULD let go and move on, does not mean they have to. Moving on, Letting Go, Forgive and Forget... are CHOICES, never Obligations (It's their choice, not yours) They don't HAVE to change if they don't wish to.
-Some people can take a breakup in stride, but some don't, and they are not willing to settle for "Just Friends"
-People cannot change how they feel of what is right or wrong simply because you want them to. (What seems right for you may be wrong for them)
-Trying to change someone who does not wish to change can only make things worse, not better.
-You can only TRY to help and be there for someone if they are self-destructive, but in the end your efforts and reasons may not be enough. (Doesn't mean you should never try)